CAF Africa Cup of Nations
Egypt 3 – 2 Ivory Coast (Full Time)
Mohamed Salah’s fourth goal at Afcon 2025 proved to be the decisive factor for Egypt as Ivory Coast mounted a late challenge [Reuters]
Mohamed Salah was on target once again as Egypt secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over the defending champions Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
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The Pharaohs took the lead early with Omar Marmoush’s goal just four minutes in, maintaining control throughout the match.
However, the resilient Elephants of Ivory Coast fought back, with Ramy Rabia extending Egypt’s lead to 2-0 just before the half-hour mark.
A goal from Ahmed Fatouh gave the Ivorians a glimmer of hope just before halftime, but Salah quickly answered, restoring a two-goal lead for the seven-time champions.
Guela Doue’s backheel goal in the 73rd minute brought the game back to life, setting the stage for a tense finish, but Egypt held firm in defense.
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With this victory, Salah continues his quest for a first continental title with Egypt.
The team’s next challenge comes against Senegal in Tangier on Wednesday at 17:00 GMT, a rematch after their defeat in the 2021 final.
Salah Shines While Amad Struggles
Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush netted the opener for Egypt, setting the tone for an intense encounter in Agadir [Getty Images]
In addition to his defeat in the 2021 final to Senegal, Salah was also a runner-up in 2017 against Cameroon.
At 33, he faces a challenging road ahead to finally secure the title, with potential final opponents being Nigeria or Morocco on Sunday, January 18.
Salah has now scored four goals in this tournament, marking his best performance in an Afcon, totaling 11 overall, which puts him on par with coach Hossam Hassan, just one shy of Hassan El-Shazly’s record.
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Egypt’s historical advantage against Ivory Coast was evident going into this match, having faced them 12 times in Afcon history, with only one loss.
Marmoush demonstrated early promise, intercepting a slow Odilon Kossounou and gracefully finishing past goalkeeper Yahia Fofana for the opener.
Hossam Abdelmaguid nearly increased the lead, missing a header over an empty net after Fofana’s failed attempt to clear a free-kick.
Ivory Coast showed signs of instability at the back yet maintained a threat in attack, with Aston Villa’s Evann Guessand proving physical and problematic for the Egyptian defense.
In contrast, Manchester United’s Amad Diallo had a subdued performance, lacking influence throughout the match.
Five minutes before halftime, Fatouh’s own goal came when he mismanaged a deflection on the line after a flick from Yan Diomande’s free-kick.
Salah’s goal shortly after the restart, following a chip from Rabia and a pass from Emam Ashour, was a highlight as he just managed to poke it home.
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Fofana made a critical save against Mohamed Hany, while Christ Inao Oulai of Ivory Coast had a fortunate moment as VAR overlooked a possible kick-out at Marmoush.
Guela Doue sparked hope for Ivory Coast with a late goal [Reuters]
Ivory Coast’s hopes surged when Doue scored with a clever backheel, converting after Jean-Philippe Krasso’s header was deflected and kept off the line by Mohamed El Shenawy.
Despite the support from the Agadir crowd for the reigning champions, they were unable to mount a successful comeback this time, having previously struggled throughout the tournament, with multiple deficits in knockout matches.
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This victory keeps Egypt’s hopes alive, maintaining their status as the last team to have successfully defended the Afcon title, achieving it in 2010 with a hat-trick of wins.
Unlike their previous five knockout matches that ended in extra time, Egypt finished this one in regulation, holding on through stoppage time.
Salah is set to reunite with Sadio Mane as they prepare for the semi-final clash against Senegal in Tangier, with a chance for revenge against his former Liverpool teammate and a step closer to his dream of winning the trophy.